Tag Archives: Boston bombing

Wednesday: Overcast with a chance of a thunderstorm and a chance of rain, then thunderstorms and rain showers in the afternoon. High of 88. Winds from the SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Wednesday night: Overcast with thunderstorms and rain showers, then a chance of a thunderstorm and a chance of rain after midnight. Low of 75. Winds from the SW at 5 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60% with rainfall amounts near 0.3 in. possible.

Two City Councilmen — who happen to both be running for Queens borough president — are trying to block the plate against a proposed mega-mall next to CitiField. Read more: New York Daily News

Queens leaders shoot down home raising plan that could cost residents tens of thousands of dollars

Queens leaders shot down a city plan that could cost homeowners — still reeling from Superstorm Sandy — tens of thousands of additional dollars. Read more: New York Daily News

Documents on former Mayor Koch released by FBI

Documents released for the first time Tuesday from the FBI file on former New York City Mayor Edward Koch detail one of the more obscure chapters of his storied political career: an unsolved plot to paint the then-congressman as a racist by circulating a forged letter, warning the city would become a “ghost town” if voters elected a black mayor. Read more: AP

Quinn: Spitzer, Weiner haven’t earned second chance

Democratic mayoral hopeful Christine Quinn took some shots at the comeback efforts of Anthony Weiner and Eliot Spitzer. Read more: CBS New York

Surviving suspect in Boston bombing due in court

Survivors of the Boston Marathon bombing will watch as the young man who could face the death penalty for the attack appears in court for the first time since he was found bleeding and hiding in a boat in a suburb days after the April 15 explosion. Read more: AP

Wednesday: Overcast with a chance of a thunderstorm and a chance of rain. High of 86. Winds from the South at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Wednesday night: Overcast with a chance of a thunderstorm and a chance of rain. Low of 70. Winds from the SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.

EVENT OF THE DAY: International Star Andy Statman Plays Mandolin and Clarinet

Considered one of the world’s premier mandolinists and clarinetists, the Grammy-nominated musician Andy Statman has played with everyone from Itzhak Perlman to Jerry Garcia. This concert on Wednesday, May 22 at LeFrak Concert Hall, Queens College is part of a national tour in honor of Statman’s recent National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship. Click here for more info or to submit an event of your own

Anthony Weiner launches mayoral run

Anthony Weiner has officially kicked off his political comeback. Almost two years after resigning from Congress because of a Twitter sext scandal, the former Queens politician is running for mayor. Read more: The Queens Courier

Artists howl as developer moves to tear down Long Island City graffiti palace 5Pointz

Long Island City artists are demanding a local panel block a plan to tear down a world-renowned graffiti mecca to make way for a luxury housing project. Read more: New York Daily News

A gay couple was attacked early Tuesday in SoHo and a man was beaten in the East Village, hours after thousands marched to protest the killing of a gay man and several other bias attacks that have shaken the community, officials said. Read more: NBC New York

Senior citizens hit hard by high electric rates in New York City

The numbers are in. New Yorkers are dishing out double for what most of the country pays for electricity. And if Con Edison gets its way, the rates could jump even higher. Read more: CBS New York

Immigration fingerprint proposal would apply to NYC airports

As Congress works on a comprehensive immigration bill, a new amendment would require all foreigners to be fingerprinted when they leave the U.S. through the nation’s 30 busiest airports. Read more: NY1

FBI kills Fla. man linked to Boston bombing suspect

An FBI agent was involved in a deadly shooting connected to the Boston Marathon bombing case. Read more: NBC News

Rescuers comb Oklahoma tornado rubble for buried survivors

Rescue workers with sniffer dogs and searchlights combed through the wreckage of a massive tornado to ensure no survivors remained buried in the rubble of primary schools, homes and buildings in an Oklahoma City suburb. Read more: Reuters

Tuesday: Overcast in the morning, then partly cloudy. High of 66. Winds from the East at 10 to 15 mph. Tuesday night: Partly cloudy. Low of 48. Winds from the SE at 5 to 10 mph.

EVENT OF THE DAY: Louis Armstrong at Freedomland – Never Before Heard Recordings of an American Icon, a Listening Session & Lecture

Listen to never before-heard recordings of Louis Armstrong at the Langston Hughes Community Library and Cultural Center. The event celebrates International Jazz Day and the culmination of Jazz Appreciation Month with the public premier of newly discovered recordings by the beloved trumpeter and entertainer at a Bronx amusement park in 1961. The event is free and open to the public. Click here for more info or to submit an event of your own

Troubled NYC Councilman Halloran investigated for sexual misconduct

He’s already facing trial on corruption charges — and now there are new troubles for City Councilman Dan Halloran.Read more: CBS New York

Boston investigation finds female DNA on pressure cooker bomb

Lab work has turned up a surprising new clue in the Boston Marathon bombings case. Read more: ABC New York

Thousands of New York middle school students to see school day extended as late as 6 p.m.

Thousands of middle school kids will be toiling in classrooms as late as 6 p.m. as of this fall as part of the city’s effort to extend the school day. Read more: New York Daily News

Rockaway condo owners say board locked them out of their storm-ravaged homes

A group of Rockaway residents claim a tyrannical condo board has locked them out of their oceanfront homes destroyed during Superstorm Sandy. Read more: New York Daily News

Mostly positive reaction to Jason Collins’ coming out as gay

Jason Collins came out, got widely congratulated for his courage, and the games went on. It was really that simple. Read more: AP/ABC New York

Aftermath of Hurricane Sandy making for dreadful allergy season

Six months after Superstorm Sandy, an unwelcome development is set to make the months to come miserable for allergy sufferers. Read more: CBS New York

Now that surviving Boston bombing suspect Dzhokar Tsarnaev has been captured and charged with using a weapon of mass destruction resulting in death, some of the motivations behind the attack are becoming clearer.

Other questions about security and how to prevent future attacks at similar events are under heated debate.

“Thinking about the football season starting or baseball, I don’t think [security is] going to change dramatically,” said David Kearn, an assistant professor in government and politics at St. John’s University.

Sporting venues such as Citi Field and the National Tennis Center are contained locations, he added.

“If you have to go through doors, you can have metal detectors, you can have people doing pat downs, you can have different types of devices to make sure that people aren’t bringing in things that you don’t want them bringing in,” Kearn said.

But he added that an event like the Boston Marathon has large areas that are “virtually unprotected.”

Security measure that Kearn said officials could use in areas where people congregate include mandatory check points.

The JFK 5k Runway Run, an annual race at John F. Kennedy International Airport, already uses similar security measures.

Runners and spectators must pass through security in accordance with the airport’s standards, said Rudy Auslander of the JFK Rotary Club, the event’s sponsor.

He said while they do not have to remove their shoes, all entrants are screened. Buses take runners out to the runway, and spectators are kept in an area near the line where the race both starts and finishes.

Other races in the city are designed differently, with spectators throughout the route, making similar security measures difficult.

The New York Road Runners (NYRR), who organize races including the ING NYC Marathon throughout the year, implemented enhanced baggage security following the Boston attack.

Runners who want to check their bags at one of the races must place them in a clear plastic bag and leave them in a designated zone that participants cannot enter. NYRR also has the right to search any bag in or outside the baggage area at any time, and an unattended bag can be confiscated.

“The safety and security of all New York Road Runners’ races is and will always be our top priority,” the group said in a statement. “A number of significant measures have been put in place in recent years, and we will work closely with the NYPD over the coming days and weeks to further evaluate security at races. We will continue to work hand in hand with the City of New York and the NYPD as we plan for all upcoming events.”

Kearn said these security measures would “draw more resources and more man power. You might be able to have volunteers do some of that stuff in terms of just checking bags, but you will have to have more folks checking and looking around in the future.”

Following the Boston Marathon attack, the bombing suspects intended to detonate additional explosives in Times Square, said Mayor Michael Bloomberg and NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly today.

Kelly said that information gathered from surviving suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev had initially indicated that he and his older brother were coming to New York to “party.” Yet after further investigation, Dzhokhar said that the pair had discussed the “spontaneous” plan to explode their remaining bombs in Times Square.

“Ten days ago, our city and nation received a horrific reminder that we remain targets for terrorists. Immediately upon news of the explosions in Boston, we fully mobilized the New York City Police Department’s vast counterterrorism operations – because we thought there was a possibility that there could be a related attack here,” said Bloomberg. “We now know that that possibility was, in fact, all too real.

According to Kelly, the suspects discussed their plan while driving in a hijacked Mercedes SUV after they fatally shot an MIT police offer. Their plan ultimately feel apart when the brother realized that car was low on gas and when they stopped at a nearby gas station, the driver escaped and called the police. This led to the shootout in Watertown, Massachusetts were the older brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed.

During the shootout, the suspects had “six improvised explosive devices” including a pressure cooker bomb and pipe bombs, said Kelly.

Dzhokar had been photographed with friends in Times Square “on or before April 18, 2012” and was later in New York in November.

“We don’t know if those visits were related in any way to what he described as the brothers’ spontaneous decision to target Times Square,” said Kelly.

Kelly said the NYPD Intelligence Division is “actively investigating to determine Dzhokar’s movement in New York City, as well as who he might have been with here.”

There is no evidence to indicate that New York City is currently a target of another terrorist attack “stemming” from the Boston bombings, said Kelly.

Even though Bloomberg said it cannot be known if the enormous police presence and extensive network of cameras in New York City would have been enough to stop the continuation of the terror, he is grateful the brothers were stopped in their tracks.

“We don’t know if we would have been able to stop the terrorists, had they arrived here from Boston, we’re just thankful we didn’t have to find out that answer,” said Bloomberg.

According to NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly, the Boston Marathon bombing suspects may have been on their way to New York City to celebrate after the attack, reported NBC New York.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who is now hospitalized and charged in the attack, told investigators that he and his older brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev were heading to Manhattan when they got into a gunfight with police that led to Tamerlan being killed, Kelly said. Dzhokhar fled the scene on foot and was found hiding in a boat in Watertown, Massachusetts on Friday.

The Boston Globe reported that after police talked with the carjacking victim that was allegedly held hostage by the brothers, they learned the suspects had told the victim about their role in the bombing.

The publication also reported that the suspects allegedly told the victim, “We just killed a cop. We blew up the marathon and now we are going to New York. Don’t [expletive] with us.”

Based on the interviews with the surviving Tsarnaev brother, Kelly reportedly said that investigators have come to believe that the two were not coming to New York to conduct additional attacks but instead to “party.”

Wednesday: Partly cloudy. High of 68. Winds from the WNW at 5 to 20 mph shifting to the South in the afternoon. Wednesday night: Overcast with a chance of rain. Low of 45. Breezy. Winds from the SW at 10 to 20 mph shifting to the WNW after midnight. Chance of rain 50%.

EVENT OF THE DAY: Neighborhood Street-Ups – Queens Edition

Do you care about safe streets? Of course you do! Come join us for the launch of our meet and mingle bar events: Neighborhood Street-Ups! Hosted by Transportation Alternatives. Don’t miss out on an exciting opportunity to connect one-on-one with like-minded New Yorkers and become more involved with the issues that matter most to you. There will be food and drink specials available throughout the evening. The Queens event will be held at 7:00 p.m. at Gleason’s Bar in Astoria. Click here for more info or to submit an event of your own

Driver crashes into Queens auto body shop, killing 1, injuring 2

A car slammed into an auto body shop near Citi Field Tuesday, leaving one dead and two injured. Read more: The Queens Courier

The evolution of Tamerlan Tsarnaev from aspiring Olympic boxer to apparent self-radicalized jihadist may have been influenced by a friend in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Read more: CNN

Sand coming to Rockaway beaches in June

The first extra dose of sand is coming this June to storm-worn sections of Rockaway’s beaches. Read more: New York Daily News

NYC gets green light for smartphone cab app

The city can experiment with letting taxi seekers hail rides electronically, a judge said Tuesday in a ruling that could clear the way for riders to summon the city’s signature yellow taxis with smartphone apps instead of raised arms. Read more: Fox New York

The MTA has ticketed nearly 57,000 fare-beaters since it launched its own enforcement program five years ago. Read more: New York Daily News

2nd Miss. man investigated in ricin case

Law enforcement officials searched the home of a second Mississippi man in connection to ricin-laced letters sent to the president and a U.S. senator after charges were dropped without explanation against a man arrested in the case last week. Read more: AP

Tuesday: Overcast with a chance of rain. High of 55. Breezy. Winds from the NE at 20 to 25 mph with gusts to 30 mph. Chance of rain 20%. Tuesday night: Overcast in the evening, then mostly cloudy. Low of 46. Winds from the North at 5 to 20 mph.

EVENT OF THE DAY: Fish & Crushed Can Story mixed media art exhibit

This mixed media exhibit by artist Iandry Randriamandroso is created from discarded, crushed aluminum cans found on the streets, and cardboard and burlap from local grocery, along with wordless hand-made books about a fish and a crushed can. It illustrates how growth is disrupted by invasive species. The exhibit is on display at the Queens Botanical Garden Visitor & Administration Building Gallery from April 23 through July 23. Click here for more info or to submit an event of your own

Boston bomb suspect: My brother was the mastermind

The surviving suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings has indicated that his older brother, not any international terrorist group, masterminded the deadly attack, a U.S. government source said. Read more: CNN

Canadian officials have thwarted a terror plot that envisioned derailing a train in Toronto, and multiple sources say that Amtrak trains out of New York City may have been scouted by the suspects. Read more: NBC New York

NYPD investigate death of infant in Queens

The NYPD is investigating the death of a 6-month-old infant girl in Queens. Read more: Fox New York

Former Rep. Anthony Weiner returns to Twitter after sexting scandal bruised his political career

Former Congressman Anthony Weiner is back on the social network that helped end his career in public service. Read more: New York Daily News

TSA delays its move to loosen restrictions on small knives on planes

The Transportation Security Administration said it is delaying the implementation of a new controversial policy that would allow small knives on planes. Read more: CBS News

Senate bill jeopardizes tax-free online shopping

States could force Internet retailers to collect sales taxes under a bill that overwhelmingly passed a test vote in the Senate Monday. Read more: AP

Maybe they could ban backpacks, but I think New York does a great job with protection. We’ve been there before; we know what to do.Darcy Schecht

What they do right now is phenomenal. They do a lot to protect us. Debbie Lovis

I think we need more security and find out more about people going to school in our country. It’s scary.Denise Angilly

I think there should be more security.Jim Cohen

I don’t think there is much anyone can do. These people can look like anyone.Frank Angilly

I think that’s very difficult to do these days. I have a friend in the police department; I know it’s difficult to ensure safety. We might need police in plain clothes and FBI too. We need different levels of security. I don’t think the city can be 100 percent secure.Susan Philips

I think what they’re implementing this week in the city, the clear plastic bags, is a good idea. I think everything should be in a clear plastic bag so you can see exactly what everyone’s carrying.Guy C.

Dzhokar Tsarnaev, the 19-year-old suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing, has been charged with using a weapon of mass destruction against persons and property within the U.S. resulting in death, Attorney General Eric Holder announced Monday afternoon.

“Although our investigation is ongoing, today’s charges bring a successful end to a tragic week for the city of Boston and for our country,” said Holder in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers remain with each of the bombing victims and brave law enforcement professionals who lost their lives or suffered serious injuries as a result of this week’s senseless violence.”

He was also been charged with malicious destruction of property by means of an explosive device resulting in death. If convicted, Tsarnaev faces the death penalty or life in prison.

Shortly before the charges were made public, the White House said that Dzhokhar would not be treated as an enemy combatant.

Tsarnaev remains hospitalized, recovering from gunshot injuries to the head, neck legs and hand, and had his initial court appearance from his hospital room today, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

He reportedly can’t speak because of his neck wound, but is answering officials’ questions through writing.

The charges come two days after Dzhokhar was found hiding in a boat in the backyard of a Watertown, Mass. home bleeding and in serious condition.

His capture was preceded by a dramatic shootout with police that killed his older brother and alleged accomplice in the bombing, 26-year-old Tamerlan Tsarnaev, and a manhunt that shut down the Boston area Friday.

Monday: Overcast. High of 55. Breezy. Winds from the ENE at 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 30 mph shifting to the North in the afternoon. Monday night: Overcast in the evening, then mostly cloudy with a chance of rain. Low of 43. Breezy. Winds from the ENE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 20%.

EVENT OF THE DAY: Better Homes

SculptureCenter is pleased to announce the group exhibition Better Homes. The exhibit brings together a group of artists who examine the construction of the interior through design and homemaking from critical perspectives. Click here for more info or to submit an event of your own

Boston marks week from Marathon bombs with silence

Seven days after the Boston Marathon bombings, the city planned to mark the traumatic week with mournful silence and a return to its bustling commute. Read more: AP

One of the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing is in custody after a manhunt that shut down the Massachusetts city and its suburbs today.

The Boston Police Department confirmed the news around 8:45 p.m., tweeting “Suspect in custody. Officers sweeping the area.” He is in serious condition, authorities said.

The suspect, 19-year-old Dzhokar Tsarnaev, was found hiding in a boat in the Boston suburb of Watertown when he was captured, according to reports.

Officials at the scene could be heard cheering shortly after he was collared.

His brother and fellow suspect, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, was killed during an overnight shootout after the two allegedly hijacked a car in Cambridge, Massachusets and murdered a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) police officer.

Boston Police Commissioner said, to his knowledge, the security guard was assassinated in his cruiser.

“These officers acted heroically, courageously,” Davis said.

A transit officer was also injured in the melee and is listed in critical but stable condition.

The younger Tsarnaev then sparked a manhunt through Watertown, which is about eight miles from Boston. Both towns were on virtual lockdown as authorities swept through searching for the teen.

It was only after a Watertown man left his home after being locked down all day and noticed blood on the boat stored in his back yard, Davis said. The man lifted the tarp covering the boat, saw a man covered in blood and proceeded to call the police.

Authorities believe the blood on Tsarnaev came from injuries the night before, but acknowledged there was gunfire during the seizure.

“Thankfully this man who found this suspect called the authorities right away,” Davis.

Boston Mayor Tom Menino said the city was resilient and commended the joint police effort to arrest the suspect.

“We shall go on,” Menino said. “We’re a better city that we have been in the past week. We’re there working hard.”

The capture comes about 24 hours after authorities released footage of two persons of interest in the Boston Marathon bombing that left three dead and injured over 100.

Those killed on April 15 included 8-year-old Martin Richards, who was at the marathon watching his father run. Many had to undergo amputations after being severely injured in the blast.

President Barack Obama, addressing the nation after the arrest was confirmed, said he would continue using FBI, Homeland Security and other intelligence resources to find out why the suspects carried out the attack.

“Obviously tonight there are still many unanswered questions,” Obama said. “The families of those killed so senselessly deserve answers.

Obama flew to Boston Thursday morning for an interfaith memorial ceremony, in which he promised to bring the attackers to justice.

Kevin Morrissey was a half mile away from finishing the Boston Marathon when he and the runners around him were abruptly forced to stop in their tracks on Monday, April 15.

“Marathon Monday,” as it is commonly called, is also Patriots’ Day in Boston. But around 2:50 p.m., on what is typically a joyous holiday, reports show that a bomb was detonated near the finish line of the race. Five hundred feet down the road, a second explosive went off. Both devices were reportedly constructed in pressure cookers and hidden in duffel bags.

“Everything just stopped,” Morrissey said. “There was a lot of confusion. Then it kind of sunk in that the race wasn’t going to finish.”

Morrissey, who is from Flushing, traveled to Boston with the borough’s Alley Pond Striders and was running the city’s marathon for the first time.

When he and the runners stopped, he first thought someone had fallen and was injured or that there was an emergency requiring vehicles to get through.

However, a nearby runner heard on his cell phone that an explosion had gone off at the race’s finish line and shared the news.

“We started to realize that this was something serious,” he said. “It was reminiscent of 9/11. The fire trucks just kept coming through.”

Morrissey’s thoughts turned to his wife, Deborah Stephenson, who had been waiting at the finish line since 10 a.m. in what she called “prime real estate.”

“We were sitting, and the first explosion happened. It sounded like a cannon,” she said.

After the first bomb went off, she left her spot and ran down the street. Although she heard people say the explosion came from fireworks for Patriots’ Day, she kept running. Somebody told her to run down the middle of the street and pushed her in that direction. She was across the street from the second bomb when it went off.

Stephenson continued to run until she reached a residential area a few blocks away.

“Then I just sat down and started shaking,” she said. “People came by with head bandages. People were running. Kids were crying. People were throwing up.”

She then went into a nearby department store, called her husband and said she was not leaving until he came to meet her.

After the pair found each other, they waited until they heard the Alley Pond group was okay, then “drove home immediately.”

The massive explosions resulted in three fatalities and over 180 injuries. A number of victims underwent amputations at Boston hospitals.

In his address to the nation the day of the blasts, President Obama said, “We still do not know who did this or why.” But he added, “any responsible groups will feel the full weight of justice.”

The Boston Police Department and the FBI are investigating the bombing as an act of terror. Officials urged spectators to submit pictures or videos they took during the race for inspection.

“Today, our cheers were turned to prayers,” Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino said after the attack. “But Boston is strong and resilient, and we come together in times of need. We will get through this.”

As of press time, officials had made no arrests in connection with the bombings.

UPDATE 8:57 p.m.: Boston police confirmed that three people have died in the bombing, according to reports.

UPDATE 8:52 p.m.: The FBI has taken over the investigation int0 Monday’s bombing.

UPDATE 8:39 p.m.: The Boston Globe is reporting that “just before 8 p.m., a ‘person of interest’ was being questioned at Brigham and Woman’s Hospital in connection with the bombing according to an official briefed on the investigation. The individual was hurt in the explosion, the official said.”

UPDATE 7:44 p.m.: According to CNN, at least 132 have been hurt in the Boston bombing, including eight children. At least 17 of the injuries are critical.

UPDATE 6:38 p.m.: NBC News is reporting that one of the victims killed in Monday’s bombing was eight years old.

UPDATE: 6:27 p.m.: House Speaker John Boehner has ordered flags over the United States Capitol to be lowered to half-staff in honor of the Boston Marathon bombing victims.

UPDATE: 6:15 p.m.: Addressing the nation, President Obama said “we still do not know who did this or why,” but “any responsible groups will feel the full weight of justice.”

UPDATE 6:00 p.m.: Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis said that a suspect is not in custody.

UPDATE 5:50 p.m.: President Obama will make a statement on the Boston Marathon bombings at 6:10 p.m.

UPDATE 5:40 p.m.: At a press conference, officials confirmed a third explosion at the JFK Library, about five miles away from the finish line, but later said the incident appeared to be fire related, and it still hasn’t been linked to the other bombings.

***

Two bombs exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon this afternoon, killing at least two and injuring dozens, according to media outlets.

The blasts occurred around 2:50 p.m. within seconds of each other and about 50 to 100 yards apart.

Two additional explosive devices were found near the site of the marathon, a senior U.S. intelligence official told the AP.

Following the incident, the New York City Police Department said it is “stepping up security at hotels and other prominent locations in the city through deployment of the NYPD’s critical response vehicles until more about the explosion is learned.”

From the Boston Police Department:

Family members looking for information relative to individuals possibly injured during the incident are encouraged to call (617) 635-4500.

Community members wanting to assist this investigation anonymously are encouraged to call the Boston Police Department’s Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 1 (800) 494-TIPS (8477) or text the word TIP to CRIME (27463). Individuals who may have been taking pictures or video are asked to share that information.